But — I also had some of the absolute worst.
Every “New Year” we talk about how we plan to make the next year bigger and better than the last.
Why does it have to be so much BIGGER and BETTER?!
You want 365 days of sunshine and rainbows? I hate to bust your bubble, but you’re being unrealistic.
You can’t expect joy without pain and no where has it EVER been written that life would be easy. It’s going to be hard, you’re going to have bad days, but those low days do not have to dictate your entire calendar year.
I challenge you to set a realistic standard that the next 365 days can uphold. Prepare to cry a day or two and guard your heart because a friend or family member will probably break it.
Also, control your emotions because you will certainly feel anger swell inside a few more times this year.
Know this, there is a silver lining. Something memorable will occur this year. Stop looking for perfection in an imperfect world and start making memories that are worth telling your future self.
Choose to rise above in order to forget the negative moments of last year. Decide today that you will not count 2017 as a failure because there is always a lesson to be learned. There is at least one moment from those 365 days that you can say was absolutely worth it and that, my friend, is your mustard seed.
I say all this because I look back on the day I ran the Boston Marathon in 2017. I won’t be running Boston in 2018, but does that mean my 2018 is destined to be less of a fulfilled year in my running career because I won’t be running the pinnacle of marathons that exists? HECK NO!!
Society says that we establish security by striving for more, but in 2018 I want to “MYTHBUSTER” this in a pretty big way.
Example?
The past two months my husband and I have been downsizing the material items in our home to make room for MUCH LESS. I think even he still becomes shocked by the fact he has more clothes than I do; that’s counting my running gear. We have a TINY HOUSE GOAL so that we can accomplish our BIG LIFE DREAMS!!
Want more from LIFE, not possessions.
Less can be more and bigger doesn’t always mean better. Life will throw lemons and you can either mask it with sugar to drink the bitterness or THROW THE LEMON BACK!!
Become stronger from the hard times, embrace every good moment that comes your way and remember that no one is entitled to a life without the bad days. The bad days make the good days so much sweeter because without them you wouldn’t cherish the good like you do.
My worst day of 2017 was a nightmare brought to reality, but if all I do is remember the nightmare that came alive I will never allow myself to leave that painful moment. Sure we all remember the bad, but we don’t have to hold it hostage in our hearts.
The scars on our hearts show the brokenness that God has mended. In the mending — we are made stronger. Be stronger this year and don’t be so hard on yourself.
Just as 2017 came and went, so will 2018. It’s up to you how you remember it.
You’re reading this.
You’re breathing.
You’re not finished.
Write the story and make the memories you want to remember.
Now go, 2018 is waiting.
Less can be more and bigger doesn’t always mean better. Life will throw lemons and you can either mask it with sugar to drink the bitterness or THROW THE LEMON BACK!!
Become stronger from the hard times, embrace every good moment that comes your way and remember that no one is entitled to a life without the bad days. The bad days make the good days so much sweeter because without them you wouldn’t cherish the good like you do.
My worst day of 2017 was a nightmare brought to reality, but if all I do is remember the nightmare that came alive I will never allow myself to leave that painful moment. Sure we all remember the bad, but we don’t have to hold it hostage in our hearts.
The scars on our hearts show the brokenness that God has mended. In the mending — we are made stronger. Be stronger this year and don’t be so hard on yourself.
Just as 2017 came and went, so will 2018. It’s up to you how you remember it.
You’re reading this.
You’re breathing.
You’re not finished.
Write the story and make the memories you want to remember.
Now go, 2018 is waiting.
Imperfectly Yours,
Katie
Katie